Open Access research with a European policy impact...

The Strathprints institutional repository is a digital archive of University of Strathclyde's Open Access research outputs. Strathprints provides access to thousands of Open Access research papers by Strathclyde researchers, including by researchers from the European Policies Research Centre (EPRC).

EPRC is a leading institute in Europe for comparative research on public policy, with a particular focus on regional development policies. Spanning 30 European countries, EPRC research programmes have a strong emphasis on applied research and knowledge exchange, including the provision of policy advice to EU institutions and national and sub-national government authorities throughout Europe.

Abstract

30 years ago the average house price in Scotland was less than 3 times the average salary. It is now close to 6 times the average salary (£26 304:£150 509 for 2006). So what factors have contributed to the real cost of housing doubling over this period? Are for instance, these new dwellings significantly larger or are they simply twice as good? Let me deal firstly with the size thing. A study of dwellings constructed by the largest volume builder during the 90's, demonstrated that a typical three bedroom dwelling had a total floor space of 60m2, over 20% smaller than the recommended minimum floor area laid down by Parker Morris in the 60's. Another study comparing useful floor-space in dwellings constructed between 1980 and 1991 in 15 European countries, ranked the UK in 15th position, with the older housing stock actually exceeding the spatial standards of the new provision. We are therefore not getting more space for our money, so what about the quality argument?